marlin30/30_drabe

i was wondering would a mosin nagant be good for deer hunting i know it has the power to do it i dont have much money i have a muzzleoader and a smoothbore 870 but am looking for an inexpensive rifle i know that quality will depend on the rifle will perform and im not gonna just pick the first one up off the rack but what i was wondering is would it be worth it to buy one and sporterize it

liquidorange

they are a cheap and fun gun to have (like 80-100$) but by the time you get the scope mount and scope youll be near to over 200$. the barrel tolerances aint all that but can be pretty accurate. if your gonna get a dedicated hunting rifle just look for a savage model 110-111 in something like 30-06 as a package at one of the big stores like Dicks sporting goods or wallyworld. comes with a budget scope but my buddy killed some nice deer with that set up. ive seen them on sale for under 350$ if you wait for a sale. another option would be to slug out the 870 with a dedicated rifled barrel or just throw some fiber optic sights and use a open or imp, cyl, choke and some federal tru ball slugs (like 4$ a box) for a great 100 yard BIG hole puncher. what kind of muzzy do you have? you could get a cva muzzy inline for like under 150$ and shoot sabots out to 200 yards maybe something like this http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id/57455

spaniel

Personally, I accurized my ML to reach to 300+ yds.

If you want a cheap but good rifle, get a Stevens 200. This is a Savage action and barrel without the Accutrigger in a cheaper stock. If you feel a few extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket after mounting the scope of your choice, either look up how to swap springs to improve the trigger it has or get a Rifle Basix trigger and it will be a prime weapon.

The Savage package guns are a great value but you will likely want a new scope immediately.

Bocajnala

The nagant stops being cheap by the time you sporterize it. You'll be in between $80-$120 for the rifle. $50 or so for a synthetic stock and $35+ for the scope mounts. Also, it will have to be drilled and taped, and the bolt cut off and altered. I've done it for ppl, and they really aren't saving any money. Go with the stevens like mentioned above^^^.
-Jake

Big Z

Not a good hunting rifle, considering their bulk and weight. Though mine will assuredly group (if only at the 25yd indoor range...kneeling):


And has had some cosmetic changes:


Sporterizing will be as complicated as you make it, but they seem to shoot fine as-is.

Todd1700

First of all one major expense of sporterizing them that everyone mentions is a new synthetic stock, but that really isn't necessary unless you just want one. The wood stocks they come in survived Russian winters. They will do just fine here. Also it's unfair to list the price of the scope and mounts because you are going to have to buy a scope and mounts no matter what rifle you buy. So really you are just looking at the expense of having a gunsmith drill and tap it and modify the bolt to a bent version that will function with a scope. Aim Surplus has really nice factory refurbished Mosin Nagants for 80 bucks. The bolt conversion by a gunsmith will run about 50 bucks. That takes you to 130 dollars invested . I haven't had anything drill and tapped in a while so I'm not current on the cost. But it shouldn't be that bad. I would have to believe that you would still be at or around 200 dollars as you start to look for mounts and a scope. I haven't seen any bolt action rifle of any type in a store cheaper than about 350 bucks anywhere.

So I would say that it's more time consuming to have a Mosin Nagant converted to a hunting rifle compared to just buying a cheap savage or stevens. But I disagree that it costs the same.

Here's a link to a guy that does the bolts. http://www.angelfire.com/gundam/boltman/bolt_work/

rhans53

I don't care for them but you could always put a scout mount on it. Just a thought

marlin30/30_drabe

actually i have 2 muzzleloaders a t/c black diamond and a cabelas hawkins rifle

by sporterizing it i dont plan on getting a new stock and for a scope ill probably get a scout scope

duckhunter578

I own one an it is very accuarte. They are a good long range gun.

sproket

I have two Nagants a M44 and a 91/30 both are very accurate I have killed deer with both of them. Don't bother putting a scope on it they are good out to 150 with open sights. They will shoot farther but you can't see that far and still make a pinpoint shot. Most deer are taken at 100 yards or less anyway. Check the bore before you buy make sure the rifleing is good and the crown is not shot of the barrel most of these guns are surplus